Текст книги "Tiger"

Автор книги: Laurann Dohner

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

“God, that feels good,” she panted. “I’m so close.”

He snarled again and his teeth bit down harder on her shoulder as he continued to pound into her from behind while his finger strummed her clit. Zandy felt her body tense and she screamed his name as she came so hard she nearly blacked out.

His teeth released her as pleasure tore through her entire body from her center outward. He roared as he came too with blasts of his release deep inside her body. She could feel him coming, the warm spread of his semen filling her as his hips slowed.

Zandy panted, trying to catch her breath. The only thing keeping her from slumping sideways and sliding into the creek was Tiger’s hold. Her body totally felt boneless and limp as she basked in the afterglow of that bout of sex. It didn’t matter that her head had lowered and that her cheek rested against the ground. A smile curved her mouth when she realized she wouldn’t have cared if they were lying in mud.

The feel of Tiger withdrawing his cock slowly from her pussy made her groan. She felt connected to him and her vaginal walls clamped down almost as if they were protesting the loss too, possibly trying to hold on to him a little longer. He backed away enough to take his weight off her back while his hold on her waist eased. Cold water chilled her overheated clit when his finger left it.

He sat down and pulled her onto his lap sideways. Their gazes met and she smiled.

“Did I say ‘wow’ before? I was wrong. Wow!”

He nuzzled her head aside with his face and she thought he wanted to kiss her neck. He lowered his head instead and his hot tongue licked at her shoulder. It was a slightly strange sensation but she liked it. She felt a little sleepy and really loved being cradled on his lap. His tongue kept flicking at her shoulder, over and over, and curiosity prompted her to speak.

“I’m not complaining, but why are you licking me?”

His tongue stopped. “I bit you hard enough to break the skin this time. I’m cleaning your wound. It will be sore later and hurt.” He didn’t lift his head to look at her while he spoke. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” It was odd that he’d bitten her but it didn’t hurt so it couldn’t be more than a scratch. She wasn’t alarmed over it. “Sex injuries happen sometimes and that was totally worth one. I don’t even feel it.” She laughed.

He didn’t. “It’s going to hurt later when you warm from the cold water and the endorphins from sexual gratification subsides.” His voice deepened to a gruff tone. “It may scar. Damn. I didn’t mean to do it.” His tongue lapped at her again.

She thought it was really cute how he’d put that. She’d never met a man who said “endorphins” but wisely didn’t laugh. She was afraid of hurting his feelings if he mistook her reason for finding humor in it. He was sweet and his concern touched her. It even made her fall a little in love with him.

Don’t do that, she sternly ordered. It’s just sex. Don’t forget that. Her humor vanished. “I’m okay.”

His tongue stopped again. “I took you too rough. Are you sore or feeling no pain at all yet?”

She pushed her head against his and he lifted his until their gazes met. The look of regret in his eyes almost broke her heart. So much for their perfect one-time tryst in the woods. Her head turned and she twisted her shoulder enough to see where he’d bitten her. There were two small puncture wounds on the top of her shoulder and she couldn’t see if there were more on the back side. A small amount of blood came from them but the skin wasn’t torn. It didn’t look too terrible and her gaze returned to his.

“Don’t feel bad, okay? Honestly. I’m tougher than I look and that was pretty awesome. The sex and even the bite felt really good. I’m fine.” She smiled. “You didn’t break me.”

He pulled her tighter against his chest and she found her cheek resting against the curve of his throat as he held her. She stared at the woods around them and figured he might be doing the same.

“It’s really beautiful here.”

“It is. Do you know what makes this place perfect?”

“What?”

“We’re here together.”

Damn. I could totally fall in love with him. He sounded so sincere that she turned her head enough to see his face. He glanced down and honesty shone in those beautiful eyes of his. Correction, she amended, I am falling in love. Not good. Love at first sight or in our case, after having sex, is a mistake. He’s still a man, despite being so different. He’ll break my heart.

He shifted his body, forcing her away from his chest. He glanced around and sighed. “The water is cold and I don’t want to risk getting you ill. Your body temperature doesn’t run as hot as mine, nor do you have my endurance. I need to warm you.”

Tiger fought panic and confusion as he followed Zandy out of the water. He hovered close to her to make certain she didn’t fall and every protective instinct inside him demanded nothing less. His gaze lowered to her ass as she climbed up the embankment. She was rounded and soft, very different from a Species female. Her skin was so pale he could see the traces of blue veins on some parts of her body. It fascinated him.

He bent and grabbed the blanket, shook it, and turned to open it for her. “Here. I’ll help you dry.” What is wrong with me? He wasn’t sure but the desire to tend her was strong. A Species female would have hit him by now and never allowed him to coddle her in any way. Zandy stepped closer and he wrapped the blanket around her body firmly while drying the water from her skin. She didn’t even stare at him as if he’d lost his mind.

He was pretty certain he had. The urge to just bend, toss her over his shoulder and carry her to his Jeep was strong. She was little and couldn’t put up much of a fight if he took her to his home. Images of tying her to his bed and using his mouth and hands to convince her to stay there made him step behind her to hide the fact that his dick had just hardened.

Sex had never felt as good as it did with Zandy. She was amazing and giving. He bit back a purr, remembering how tight and hot she felt wrapped around his cock. Soft and wonderful. Her small body fit perfectly against him and made him feel completely male. His hands lingered on parts of her body while he continued to help her dry. He didn’t want to release her. The fact that she was submissive to him without him having to display aggression during sex left him reeling.

No, she’s not anything like a Species. This is how it starts, he realized. Those poor males who ended up with human mates had to have felt what he did. Protective. Possessive. Maybe even blown away by intense feelings while sharing sex. That sobered him enough to back away from her and get dressed. This is probably the definition of broadsided. He had been broadsided by a small female with green eyes.

His hands shook as he pulled on his underwear and pants. His interested dick protested being contained but he ignored it. He had bigger problems at that moment. He needed to figure out how to handle the situation and the emotions he’d never experienced before.

Instincts were a bitch. He was more than aware of their constant existence, a side effect of being altered with those feline genes. He glanced back in time to see her bare body as she neatly folded the blanket and bent over to display her ass while reaching for her clothing.

He closed his eyes and took calming breaths. The baser side of him wanted to just take her. Keep her. The human side of him knew it would be wrong to do that. The part of him that remained in the middle prevailed. He used logic and common sense. He didn’t know much about her. He didn’t need or want a mate. His duties took up a lot of his time and he’d be sidelined if he took a mate. Justice made sure all males were given safer jobs if they had families.

Sometimes he lived at Reservation while at others he resided at Homeland. He also worked closely with the human task force. He enjoyed being around the human males and leaving the NSO occasionally. All that would change if he became too attached to a female and she actually agreed to be his mate. Slade managed to divide his time but his mate was a doctor whose job demanded she work in both locations.

The whisper of a zipper made him open his eyes to watch Zandy finish dressing. She was human and wouldn’t fit in his lifestyle. He’d already bitten her and mounted her too roughly. He’d make a bad mate even if he were willing to consider the idea. It would also put her in danger but that worried him little. She’d never leave NSO if she were his and he’d make certain she was safe.

Humans date. That option didn’t alarm him. That way he could have her without committing for life. If she was willing. He hoped the sharing of sex had been so intense due to the sexual frustration he’d experienced after the first night he’d met her. He’d wanted her but never thought she’d be in his arms again.

Tiger knew he was clinging to that concept a little too hard but he could live with that because it didn’t unsettle him. Dating a human couldn’t hurt and perhaps it was the pent-up desire he’d had for her that had made their coupling so incredible.

The female turned and smiled. His dick jerked, wanted her, and so did he. He knew he should force a smile in return to assure her everything was fine. He didn’t. Words blurted out of his mouth before he could stop them.

“Why don’t you go home with me tonight? I have a private house on Reservation. You could share my bed.”

He wanted to roar when her smile faded and she glanced at the ground instead of agreeing instantly. Rejection stung him as sharply as if she’d slapped him. Every muscle in his body tensed.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Her gaze rose and met his.

Anger and pain burned through his chest. He’d been torturing himself with thoughts about a mate but she didn’t even want him beyond the time they’d spent together. The idea that she hadn’t enjoyed his body as much as he had hers made him feel even worse. He knew he’d been too rough despite her protests and now he had proof. Shame wasn’t an emotion he suffered often but it struck then.

“I mean, it wouldn’t be the best idea, right?”

“Why not?” He worried about her answer but needed to hear it.

“Well, for one thing, we have to pass the guards at the gate. I work for the NSO now and I’m pretty sure it’s probably against the rules to date other employees. Secondly, I’m new and it would just look bad if it got around that I spent the night with you on the first day of my job. Third, I don’t have an extra set of clothes. It screams bad impression when you wear the same clothes two days in a row.”

Excuses. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He respected her for that and appreciated it. His pride was stung though, despite her kindness. It was another reminder she wasn’t Species. One of their females would have just told him he’d been too controlling and hadn’t placed her sexual gratification above his own.

“I understand.” He finished buttoning his shirt, knowing he’d messed up. She didn’t even want to date him. “I’m carrying you back to your car.” He would make sure she wasn’t harmed by walking barefoot. “That isn’t up for debate.”

She nodded. “Thank you. Are you sure I’m not too heavy?”

“I could carry you in my arms all day,” he answered honestly. “Hold the blanket and I’ll pick you up.”

Zandy gripped the blanket as he approached her and didn’t protest as he scooped her up into his arms. Her scent tormented him. She smelled strongly of her distinctive scent but it was mixed with sex now and his own scent. Any Species male who came within sniffing distance of her would know they’d shared sex. That idea didn’t alarm him. It would warn other males not to approach her for sharing sex, if they were smart.

Her arm wrapped around his neck and she peered deeply into his eyes. “Thank you, Tiger.”

He wanted to kiss her but refrained. She’d made a choice and he had to respect it. He wasn’t an animal despite his urges to ignore her refusal to share his bed. He was a male. He wouldn’t force her to go home with him even if he wished she would—it wouldn’t be fair. She wasn’t strong enough to keep him in line the way a Species female could when a male became too dominating, though he’d never hurt her.

“Thank you for today,” he said honestly.

Chapter Five

Zandy liked that Tiger made her feel petite and womanly in his arms. He carried her as easily as he’d said he could and wasn’t even out of breath when they reached their vehicles. No one seemed to have disturbed them. He didn’t halt until he gently placed her on the hood of his Jeep. He tossed the folded blanket off her lap and over the windshield to land inside the vehicle.

He smiled. “We are back at the beginning. Here I stand and you are sitting in the same spot as when we first kissed.”

A smile tugged at her lips. She was more than a little amused and touched by his romantic streak. It also impressed her. “I like this time better.”

“Why?”

“No one interrupted us.”

His striking blue eyes stared deeply into hers. “Meet me here again tomorrow after work. I’ll bring food and we’ll have a picnic.”

It was a bad idea but she refused to say no outright. She was falling for the guy big-time and it would end badly. It was a weakness of hers to get involved with men too fast. He seemed too good to be true and she knew how that worked out. Badly, and divorce lawyers cost a lot of money. Not to mention the dreaded phone call to my family to tell them I screwed up again. She nodded anyway. She just couldn’t resist Tiger but she didn’t need to worry that he would ask her to marry him. He didn’t seem the settle-down type of man.

“Okay. Do you want me to bring anything?”

“Just you.”

“I can do that.”

He cleared his throat. “Good. I might be a few minutes late after your shift ends but wait for me. I will come.”

“Okay. Are you going to close the road down again to make sure no one goes searching for us when they spot our cars?”

“I’ll think of something.” Amusement flashed in his gaze and he stepped closer.

She nodded. “I better get going. Lunch was a long time ago and I worked up quite an appetite.”

He chuckled. “I still think you should go home with me.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“I don’t want to make you sore either. I definitely would if I took you home.”

“I just told you not to tempt me.”

He threw back his head and laughed. His hand came up as he caressed her cheek. “Thank you for waiting for me today. I was afraid I would return to find you gone. It would have greatly disappointed me.”

“Me too. That’s why I stayed and waited.”

“You are very unique and wonderful, Zandy.”

“So are you.”

He moved suddenly and his mouth brushed hers. She kissed him back. The purr that rumbled from him made her instantly hot and horny as memories flooded her mind of what he could do to her body. He shifted his hips and moved between her thighs until the hard length of his trapped cock rubbed against the seam of her underwear as she spread her thighs wide to make room for him. Zandy wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him. She wanted him again and it felt as if he wanted her too.

His hands cupped her breasts and squeezed. She moaned against his tongue to encourage him. One of his hands lowered down her stomach and fisted her skirt to tug it up her hips. She shifted her ass, helping him bunch the material around her waist to get it out of the way. His hand slid between her thighs to hook a finger in the band of her panties and she felt them jerked out from under her ass. He easily tore them off.

Excitement gripped her. It wasn’t just the danger of them being caught—no one had ever torn her clothes off her body before. It was a fantasy he’d just made a reality. Her nails dug into his shirt and she wished she could touch his skin.

Tiger tore his mouth away from hers to break the kiss and she opened her eyes. There was something wild-looking about his eyes in that moment when passion flared through them. Eyes were the window into someone’s soul—she believed that—and his were promising hot sex.

His hand left her thigh and gently pressed between her breasts. He pushed her flat on her back over the hood of his Jeep. The trees had shaded it and the feel of cool metal against her bare ass was a little naughty. She really liked it. She liked him.

His hands gripped her hips and tugged her closer to him until she should have worried about slipping over the edge. It didn’t concern her since she’d wrapped her legs around his waist when they’d kissed. He slid his palms upward, shoved her shirt up until it bunched over her breasts and his gaze lowered.

“Beautiful,” he rasped. “But this is in my way.”

She gasped when he gripped the center of her bra and tugged. It didn’t stand a chance against his strength as it broke apart and freed her breasts.

Zandy panted a little as he leaned forward, cupped her breasts again with his bare hands and his mouth opened over her nipple. He sucked it into his mouth and she felt his teeth clamp down on the skin around the taut tip. He didn’t hurt her but he had a good grip. She felt a second of fear, knowing if he bit down it would hurt. Instead his tongue started to slide across her nipple and he sucked on her harder.

She gasped. It felt as if her breast and her clit were connected. Her fingers slid into his hair to keep it out of the way, while making sure he didn’t stop. She breathed his name, “Tiger…”

He growled as he slowly released her breast when he lifted his head. Their gazes met. He reached up and his fingers encircled her wrists to tug her hands free from his hair. She let go and was stunned when he used his hold on her to lift her arms above her head until they rested against the hood of the Jeep.

“Keep them there.”

She nodded. He broke eye contact with her to peruse the length of her body spread out in front of him and growled again. His hands gripped her knees and he nudged them, indicating that he wanted her to release him. She freed his hips and he lifted her legs straight up against his chest and spread them enough to brace them at his shoulders.

He reached down and she heard his zipper as he opened his pants. His gaze held hers. “I wanted to do this the first time you were here,” he rasped.

She expected him to just enter her but Tiger wasn’t so easily predictable. His finger traced the seam of her pussy. She knew he’d find her wet and ready to take him but then he decided to play with her clit. She moaned as he rubbed small circles around the bud.

“Tiger…” she moaned.

“I’m right here.”

Yes, he is, she agreed, reveling in the raw enjoyment of the pleasure he gave. She really wanted to touch him but he wanted her to keep them above her head. It was almost torture and her legs tensed, unable to take much more.

“Please?”

One of his arms locked across her legs to pin them against his chest and his gaze lowered between them to stare at her pussy. He adjusted his hips until his cock pressed against her. The feel of him entering her body broke her focus on his face and she threw her head back. He lifted her enough that her ass hovered over the hood and he began to fuck her in long, firm strokes.

She moaned and could only feel the drive of his cock and him continuing to play with her clit. The overwhelming urge to come burned her from the inside out.

“Faster,” she urged.

He growled. “No. I’m in control.”

Her wrists twisted and she clawed at the metal under her palms. Tiger suddenly thrust into her a little deeper and rocked his hips at a faster pace. He massaged her clit to match. The sounds that came from him were a mixture of a purr and a moan.

“Come for me,” he ordered in a harsh voice. “Now. I can’t hold back.”

He pressed a little harder against her clit and Zandy screamed out his name as she did just that. Her vaginal muscles convulsed from the force of her climax and Tiger threw back his head. A roar came from him that drowned out everything. His hips ground against her as he jerked with each jet of semen he shot into her.

Zandy panted as she tried to recover and kept her eyes closed as Tiger eased her ass back down onto the hood of the Jeep. His hand slid away from her clit and he gripped her thighs, spread them and bent over her. His body settled over hers and he kept them connected by refusing to withdraw his cock from her body.

“Look at me.”

She stared deeply into his eyes, just inches from her own. His hot breath fanned her lips and she loved the smile he gave her. Her hands moved to cup his face. He turned his head a little to press tighter against her palm.

“Hi.”

He chuckled. “Hi.”

“That was amazing.”

His lips brushed across hers but he didn’t deepen the kiss. “You’re very sexy, Zandy. I can’t get enough of you. I was more careful this time not to be rough.”

“I like it both ways.”

He braced his arms on the hood next to her, caging her in his hold. She liked the feel of having his body over hers but wished her bare breasts and stomach were against his skin instead of the shirt he still wore.

“What did you like best?” he asked.

“I can’t decide. How about a rematch tomorrow so we can both decide?”

“Maybe I’ll come up with more to judge. It might take days to really figure this one out.”

Days with Tiger sounded heavenly. She laughed. “It sounds good but I’m not sure I’ll be able to walk if we have sex this much every day.”

His gaze became serious. “I can carry you. You won’t need to walk. It will give me an excuse to keep you flat on your back.”

Damn. He’s charming and so handsome. Her fingers caressed his warm skin and explored his strong bone structure. His cheekbones were slightly prominent and so was his jawline. It gave him a very masculine appearance, which she appreciated. He waited for a response so she gave him one.

“That’s true.”

He pushed her hair away from her neck and he pulled her torn bra out from under her shirt to remove it. He tossed it over the glass windshield into the Jeep. Zandy watched him study her shoulder.

“What are you looking at?”

“Your bite. It’s not bleeding anymore.”

“It’s fine. It was well worth the sex injury.” She grinned. “How is your back?”

He didn’t grin back. “You are the first woman who’s marked me. Has a man ever bitten you before and marked you?”

“I can’t say I’ve ever been bitten before.”

Gentle fingertips probed the wound. “You will need to hide this. Someone will think I’ve mated you if they see this.”

“Mated?”

“It’s like marriage to my kind but we don’t divorce. You would be thought of as mine and I would be thought of as yours.”

Shock reverberated through her. “All over a bite?”

He smiled finally. “Species tend to bite sometimes during the sharing of sex but we never break the skin. There are only two ways this usually happens. I had to bite you to assert my control if we fought for dominance during sex or because I wanted to mark you to show other males you belonged to me.” He blinked. “I am sorry. I lost control and I wanted to completely own you in that moment. I wanted all of you.”

His words sank in and she realized she didn’t hate that idea. Oh no. Don’t go there. He is asking you to hide the mark, which means he didn’t intend to do it. Remember that. “Well, I think you successfully owned me there for a while.”

“It goes both ways. There is nothing but you when you are in my arms.” His eyes narrowed and all traces of humor fled. “You’re dangerous, Zandy.”

“Me?” It was her turn to laugh as her gaze took in those massive arms next to her and the broad chest that blocked out the world above her. “You’re the one who’s really big and strong. I’m not dangerous in the least.”

He suddenly gripped her face and moved closer, until they were nearly nose to nose. “You are very dangerous to me. I’m not the type to take a mate, Zandy. I never want to be tied down that way. I enjoy my freedom after the lifetime I have spent without it. A mated male lives for his female. I’ve seen it firsthand. The males want to kill any other males who go near their females. They can’t sleep without their females in their arms. They go insane at the thought of losing their mates. We scent imprint our mates. It’s…” He stopped talking.

“It’s what?” She was curious. “I’ve never heard anything about this.”

“We get pretty much addicted to her scent after we claim a female. We need them to smell like us and we need their scents on us. The mated males can’t stand having the scent of other female on them once they imprint their mate’s scent. If a male has imprinted a female he can’t share sex with another one. If his female were to ever share sex with a male I think the mate would go completely insane and kill anything in his path blocking him from the male who touched his mate. He would definitely tear apart a male who touched her. It’s…” He paused. “Scary as hell and something I never want anything to do with. If I were ever interested in taking a mate, you would be her, Zandy. That’s what makes you dangerous because you make me consider it.”

She was really shocked. “I’ve been married and divorced twice, Tiger. I’m not cut out for marriage obviously since I seem to suck at it. I got really hurt by them. I swore I’d never put my heart out there to be stomped on again. The idea of allowing someone to become my entire world scares me.” She wanted to be honest. “I am so drawn to you that it’s not funny and you’re amazing. I just don’t want to get hurt.”

“We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?”

She nodded, unable to disagree. They were both strongly attracted to each other but neither of them wanted to become too involved for their own reasons. She respected that about him and instinctively knew he understood about her reservations too.

“I want you to meet me here tomorrow. I don’t know how long this can last but I know I want to see you again,” Tiger said.

“I’ll be here after work.”

“I’ll bring a picnic.”

“I should be going. I really am hungry.”

He grinned. “So am I. It will be dark soon and we missed dinner.”

They silently stared at each other until Tiger finally lowered his face enough to brush his lips lightly over hers. He eased out of her body to separate them and helped her sit up. Strong hands gripped her hips to lift her down to the ground.

He let go with a reluctant expression. Zandy fixed her clothes, minus her bra and underwear. She forced a smile she didn’t feel. It was time to go but she hated leaving him. It just felt wrong to walk away and that assured her she really needed to get in her car.

“Bye. See you tomorrow, Tiger.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Sincerity shone in his eyes as he righted his clothing and dug her keys from his pocket.

She took them and had to force herself to turn away from him. The urge to spin back around, throw herself into his arms and ask him to take her home with him was there. Damn. She climbed in her car and refused to look at him again. It was too tempting to ask him to spend the night with her.

She glanced in the rearview mirror as she drove away. Tiger stood where she’d left him, watching her. A sigh of regret passed her lips.

It dawned on her halfway home that she hadn’t retrieved her torn underclothes. She’d left them with Tiger. A groan escaped her lips and she hoped he remembered to toss them away.

She stopped at the only fast-food joint in town with a drive-thru, not feeling up to cooking. It was a relief when she let herself into her house, collapsed on the couch with her dinner and reflected on what had happened. No. I don’t regret it, she decided. She just hated the strong desire she felt to know where Tiger was and what he was doing. Is he obsessing over me too? “Damn.”

Zandy knew she’d made the right decision to go home. She couldn’t let herself get too attached to Tiger. She didn’t want her heart broken and the last thing she needed was to fall in love with a man who clearly didn’t want a relationship any more than she did. They had that in common.

* * * * *

Tiger stood still long after Zandy’s car disappeared from his sight. The urge to leap into the Jeep and chase her was strong. He battled his instincts and finally won. He turned and noticed her discarded, torn panties. He reached down, fisted them and shoved them inside his pocket.

The sight of her bra on the passenger seat when he got in the Jeep made him sigh. He’d totally destroyed her undergarments but didn’t regret it. He picked up the soft material and put it in another pocket. Moments passed as he sat there trying to figure out how his life had gotten so complicated by an attractive little redheaded human.

He knew he needed to return to Reservation but the officers would know in a heartbeat that he hadn’t been hunting if they got a whiff of him. He reached down and dug out the emergency bag from under the seat where he kept a spare set of clothes. He carried it back to the stream, glanced at the flattened area where he’d spread out the blanket and memories assailed him.

His hands were jerky as he stripped everything off, removed the fresh clothing from the bag and shoved his used ones inside. He sealed it and walked into the chilled water to wash off her scent.

He used handfuls of moss to scrub his skin. He dunked his head under the water and stayed there for as long as he could hold his breath before he broke the surface again. That would take care of any lingering traces of her scent.

Tiger climbed out of the stream. He stood there in the fading sunlight as the strengthening evening breezes dried most of his skin. He shook his head to help dry his hair faster. It would be wet but no one would question it.

The trip back to his Jeep was fast and he replaced the bag under the seat. He’d have to wash his clothes when he arrived home to remove her scent from them. He started the Jeep and returned to Reservation.

“You didn’t find any more idiots?”

Tiger shook his head at the officer. “It was all clear. Just remember to warn the next shift that more of them may be out there.”

“Will do. Good evening, Tiger.”

“You too, Smiley.”

He waved and drove to his home. He liked the cabin he had been assigned at Reservation a little better than his house at Homeland. It was more secluded. He didn’t have any immediate neighbors and it was far enough from the Wild Zone that he wouldn’t have to fear any of the males harassing Zandy.